Great Power

by Harkbilde

Chapter 8: What a Hero does

(Previously on the last chapter)

But Magnus looked back up at Rainbow with eyes filled with determination. "But the last words of my loved one helped me come back from that path." He said with a tone full of conviction, "Her last promise was about an Ideal, an Ideal that was worth fighting for, an Ideal that is right, and an ideal that I must never lose hope on....."

He then looked at all the others. "An ideal of being......"

"......A HERO......

(Present)

He then wiped his tears away and spoke, "It made me not lose my path and also made me help you today with the monsters. It is what makes me... ME." He looked back at Rainbow Dash and asked her, "So, what makes you, you? What makes Rainbow Dash that everypony who loves you back, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash was about to speak but was cut off by Pinkie, "A pony who helps me at the sugarcube bakery!"

Rainbow Dash looked at the energetic pink pony but before she could say anything, Applejack continued, "A pony who can be the greatest rival one can ask..."

Rarity then spoke, "A pony that always goes headfirst into danger for me..."

Then Fluttershy, "A... uh... pony who always respects my shyness......."

Then Luna spoke, "A friend who is the best friend one can ask..."

Then Celestia, "A pony that I'm always grateful for always staying beside my pupil..."

Lastly Twilight, "A pony who has been loyal to us till the end, even through hardships..."

Rainbow Dash was now crying as Magnus spoke.

"And the pony that shown me what Loyalty is from her friends... This defines what you are and you might have already known, but it takes your loved ones to be reminded of it." Magnus said with a gentle but bright smile.

Rainbow Dash then went and hugged everypony else in the room, saying "Thank you" repeatedly, while tears fell from her eyes constantly.

Seeing this Magnus smiled at her and then silently walked out of the barn.

(Outside the barn)

Magnus was now seen outside staring at the night sky, deep in thought, 'Nicole...... This was also a part of what Heros do right? I haven't lost what you entrusted me... and I swear that this is just the beginning, I'll try to save them all...'

Magnus was immersed in his reminiscing until he heard Luna's voice behind him, "Aren't you going to join them?"

Magnus, sensing that she was with Celestia replied while still watching the skies, "Nah, didn't seem like my place to interfere but..." He then turned around looking at them and continued, "Aren't your Highnesses supposed to be with them?"

Celestia squinted her brows and replied, "And I thought we told you to just call us by our names Magnus."

He chuckled and replied, "Sorry, sorry... But seriously, aren't you guys supposed to be with Rainbow Dash and the others?"

Luna then told him, "We have said our bits and excused ourselves to talk to you."

Magnus tilted his head and asked, "About what?"

Celestia then replied, "To thank you for helping my little pony."

"And for helping my best friend," Luna added.

Magnus scratched the back of his head with a wry smile and replied," Aw shucks, it wasn't much......"

Luna then spoke back with a thankful tone, "But it was Magnus, after the fall of Cloudsdale she kept on hiding her feelings from us to make us not worry about her but what you just did helped her dealing with it and we can't thank you enough for that."

Hearing that Magnus couldn't help but feel glad and have a big warm smile about that, this made both Princesses have a tint of pink on their muzzles.

He didn't notice this and replied, "Then I gladly accept your gratitude... And give you my thanks for telling me this bit"He bowed and looked back up to the skies.

Celestia, looking at him watching the night sky couldn't help but ask, "Is there a reason why you constantly watch the skies?"

Magnus was quiet for a moment and then replied at them, "Because it's beautiful, more beautiful than my world's night sky..."

Luna blushed feverishly at that but Celestia had a confused look at what he said at the last part and before she could ask, Magnus spoke to them, "Hey Luna, Celestia, can I ask you to keep what I'm about to say next to a secret? It's sensitive information for me and I think you guys deserve to know it as the rulers..."

Luna snapped out of her thoughts and asked, "What do you want to tell us?"

Magnus just asked them again, "Just... Can you promise me? I don't know if I want to tell these to ponies other than you 2..."

Luna then looked at Celestia and nodded, she then sighed and replied, "Very well, we won't tell anyone about this, we promise."

Magnus gave them a short "Thanks" and continued, "When I said I was from far away, it meant that I was not from Equus herself."

Luna was shocked at this and Celestia widened her eyes at this but otherwise stayed calm, while Magnus continued, "I am from Earth, also known as Gaia or Terra, your choice."

Celestia asked Magnus, "How did you arrive here on Equus?"

Magnus stayed silent for a moment and replied in a somber tone, "I died."

Now, this shocked Luna and Celestia greatly. "You died? How did you die? How do you know that you died?" Luna asked in confusion and shock.

Magnus then looked at them with a somber expression and replied, "I have told you that I almost destroyed myself but came back... Well, I did destroy myself, just not in the name of revenge but to save the world."

Celestia then was shocked even more. "What happened, what pushed you to make such a decision?" She asked.

Magnus looked up again but this time with a frown. "My enemy, Stain, he was a special Psi-user with the ability to harvest one's ability to regenerate Psi and their Psi capacities through killing Psi-users... And he killed thousands..."

Celestia and Luna frowned at such a hideous act while Magnus continued, "His goal was to become immortal through having nigh limitless Psi and he succeeded."

The Princesses' expression turned horrified by hearing of Stain's success, "He became Immortal, well, almost... He could regenerate even if only a speck of him was left and come back in no time."

The Princesses, now curious of the outcome, asked, "So, was he the one to......"

Magnus chuckled and replies, "Yes..." The Princesses were shocked at what they heard next, "He was the one to take everything from me..."

Before he could reply, Luna yelled but not loud enough for the Mane 6 to hear, "Why? Why did you burden yourself to protect the world? Weren't there any others-"

"Because I was the only person who could stop Stain." He said instantly shutting her up and continued, "If he could regenerate from a speck of himself, then I just needed to erase every last shred of him... And the only way to do that was through imploding every last bit of Psi in me and disintegrate everything near me......"

Luna had tears in her eyes. "Wasn't there any other way? Couldn't you have persuaded him?" She asked him.

Magnus then looked at her eyes and then shook his head, "No, there wasn't, he was hellbent in conquering the world through force and I was the only one who was powerful enough to pull that off......"

Silence ensued outside the barn until Celestia sighed and spoke up, "Thanks for telling us your secret Magnus, we will not tell any other pony about this without your permission."

"Thank you Luna, Celestia, I appreciate it. I will tell the girls if the time comes..." Magnus spoke in a grateful tone. Then he changed his mood. "Welp since that is done, shall we go back inside?" He said trying to get rid of the sad atmosphere.

Celestia nodded and started returning while Luna seemed to remember something and spoke to Magnus, "Oh! and Magnus, thank you."

Magnus tilted his head and asked, "For what?"

Luna suddenly got close to him and kissed him on his cheek. "For calling my Night beautiful..." She answered with a blush.

She then hurriedly went back inside, leaving a dumbfounded Magnus behind and he couldn't help himself and spoke the one word again.

"Huh?"

Author's Note:

Aww yeah~ Things just got spicy, I wonder what would happen next? Well, wait for the next chapter to find out!

Ciao!